Speed controlled centrifugal valve



2, 1949- o. E. HlNTZ, JR- 2,477,983

SPEED CONTROLLED CENTRIFUGAL VALVE Filed Sept. 26, 1947 INVENTOR. Ozfo E. H/nfz Jr.

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Patented Aug. 2, 1949 SPEED CONTROLLED CENTRIFUGAL VALVE Otto E. Hintz, Jr.-, Chicago, 111., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application September 26, 1947, SeriaiNo. 776,226

Claims. (Cl. 137-440) This invention relates to a centrifugal separator of the power washing type. More particularly, it relates to a centrifugally operable sealing valve ring for regulating the discharge opening of a power washing separating bowl.

In power washing cream separators of the type to which this invention relates, a centrifugal separating bowl is provided with a substantially continuous washing. liquid discharge opening at its maximum internal periphery. The separating bowl travels at a high speedv of rotation, the centrifugal force during separating acting to expand an expansible valve ring coextensive with the discharge opening and arranged to regulate the same.

After the separating operation is completed, the speed of rotation of the bowl is diminished and the valve ring contracts, thereby opening the discharge opening to permit escape'of the washing liquid. A valve ring of the type generally used with the power washing type of bowl is disclosed in Patent No. 2,473,948, issued to W. H. Harstick. The valve ring shown in the aforementioned application discloses an annular coil spring enclosed in a layer of rubber-like material.

A valve ring of this type must withstand the high centrifugal forces of a separating bowl that is rotating near the speed of 12,000 R. P. M. The amount of expansible radial movement of the ring is limited by the confines of the bowl and therefore the reaction of a spring of this type must be sufficiently sensitive and immediate to the centrifugal forces. Flexibility of the ring is a prime object therefore, and applicant has pro-v vided a novel design wherein the ring is constructed so as to provide for maximum flexibility and durability.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel improved centrifugal ring valve for sealing the discharge opening of a power washing cream separating bowl, said ring valve including an annular spring and a sheath of rubber-like material enclosing said. spring, the inner surface of said rubber sheath being substantially free and uninterrupted to permit circumferential movement of the spring with respect to said inner surface.

Still anotherobl'ect is to provide a novel power washing cream separating bowl having a cen-- trifugai'vaive for controlling said discharge opening, said valve including an annular coil spring enclosed in a covering of material having a smooth inner surface, the coils of said spring beingfree to move circumferentially with respect to the inner surface.

A still further object is to provide a centrifugal valve ring including an annular coil spring onclosed in a spirally wound covering of a fabriclike material, said covering having inner smooth surfaces and an outer rough surface adapted to form a goodbondi'ng surface to which a sheath of rubber-like material is bonded.

A still further object is to provide a centrifugal sealingring construction wherein a rubber sheath is securely bonded over an annular coil spring, said ring having means between said coil and said rubber sheath for preventing portions of said rubber from becoming wedged in between the coils of the spring, thereby assuring maximum flexibility and circumferential movement between the spring and the sheath.

Other objects will become more readily apparent from a reading of the specification when examined in conjunction with-the drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a cream separator, said view showing a cream separating bowl having portions broken away to disclose pertinent parts of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2---2 of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing an elevational view of a portion of a centrifugal sealing valve, said view having portions broken away to better disclose pertinent parts of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4- of Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig, 1 in the drawing, a cream separating bowl is generally indicated by the reference character It and includes an upper bowlportlon l l and a lower bowl portion E2. The bowl Ill is provided'with inner sloping surfaces l3 and i4 converging at a maximum periphery as indicated at l5. A substantially continuous annular discharge opening it is provided at this maximum periphery, this discharge opening being interrupted only by' a plurality of projections or spacer members I? integrally formed with the lower bowl portion l2. A clamping ring it is threaded on the lower bowl portion i2 and suitably engages the upper bowl portion H to rigidly clamp the portions together in assembly. The clamping ring l8 is'also provided with a substantially continuous annular discharge opening it in alignment with the discharge opening it. The discharge opening 19 is formed with a pinrality of connecting projections 26, as best indi= cated and shown in Fig. 2. It can be seenthat primarily serve asspacer elements between the upper bowl portion I l and the lower bowl portion l2, thus in efiect providing the substantially continuous annular discharge slot H5. The number of these diverging projections or spacers may vary, it being only necessary to have a sufiicient number so that the bowl portions are properly spaced apart.

The upper bowl portion II is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending Wings 2| which suitably support a disk pack 22 consisting of a plurality of separating disks 23. The inner peripheries of the separating disks 23 form a cylindrical space generally indicated at 24. Centrally positioned within the cylindrical space 24 is a milk inlet tube 25 which is in communication with a distributor chamber 26. The distributor chamber 26 is in turn in communication with a milk distributing passage 21 formed by eccentrically disposed openings in the separating disks 23.

A centrifugal valve ring or valve structure for controlling and regulating the discharge of washing liquid through the discharge opening I6 is provided in the form of an annular sealing element or ring generally designated at 29. The ring 29 is cylindrical in shape and consists essentially of a cylindrical spring 3D formed of a plurality of coils 3!. An expander ring 32 is disposed and extends circumferentially through the coils 3! of the spring. The expander ring 32 is of a metallic material and is split as indicated at 33. The purpose of this expander ring is to maintain the coil spring 39 in a partially pie-expanded or tensioned condition when the bowl is at rest or is operating at a low speed of rotation.

A covering 34 of a fabric-like material, such as cloth, paper etc., is spirally wound around the coils 31 of the spring 38 and completely encloses the same. The coverin is wrapped in a manner to provide overlapping edges as indicated at 35 in Fig. 3. Thus, the covering completely encloses and covers the spring 351. As best shown in Fig. 4 the covering 34 includes a substantially free and uninterrupted inner surface 36 and a substantally rough or pitted outer surface 37. The inner surface 36 of the covering is sufiiciently smooth so that the coils of the spring 39 are free to move circumferentially without interfering with the covering 34.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, an annular sheath of rubber-like material 38 is provided with an inner surface 39 which is rigidly bonded to the rough outer surface 3'! of the covering 34. The sheath 38 is cylindrical in shape and presents an outer sealing surface 4'0.

Referring again to Fig. 1, a tin ware construction is generally designated by the reference character 25 and surrounds the separating bowl Ill. The tin ware construction includes a cream receiving chamber 46 adapted to receive cream from a cream outlet 41 of the separating bowl Ill. The tin ware construction 55 also includes a skim milk receiving chamber 48 which is arranged to receive skim milk from a skim milk outlet 49. The skim milk and cream may be discharged from the chambers by means of a skim milk outlet nozzle 50 and a cream outlet nozzle Whole milk is supplied to the milk inlet tube 25 by means of a milk feed tube 52 which is in communication with a supply can (not shown). Encircling the milk feed tube 52 is a Washing liquid supply conduit 53 for supplying washing liquid to the annular space 24 of the cream separating bowl I0. The bowl is suitably driven by means of a driving member 55 which is connected to a conventional power means .(not shown)..

For the purposes of the present invention it is not believed necessary to describe the cream separating operation since it is conventional and readily apparent to one skilled in the art.

During the high speed of rotation which is normally required for a separating bowl the valve ring 29 is sufiiciently expanded to seal and completely close the washing liquid discharge openings I 6 and I 9 and the separation action takes place. After the separating operation has ended it is desired to immediately flush and wash the bowl utilizing the power normally effective during separating. In a bowl of this type, this operation can be accomplished without dismantling or disassembling the bowl in any manner. The speed of rotation of the separating bowl H3 is thereupon lowered to a speed approaching 6,000 R. P. M. Washing liquid is then introduced through the washing liquid conduit 53 into the annular space 24 and the interior of the bowl in is completely filled with washin liquid. As the speed of the bowl further decreases due to the entrance of this washing liquid, the valve ring 29 begins to contract until the sealing surface 38 is no longer in sealing engagement with the substantially continuous discharge opening IS. The washing liquid thereupon is free to escape through the discharge opening, and the sudden surge and flushing of the liquid is effective to clean and scour the inner parts thereof. The washing liquid is flushed outwardly between the disks and throughout all the interior parts of the bowl and an effective cleaning operation is accomplished.

The valve ring 29 is effective to react to the changes in speed of rotation of the bowl, and by virtue of the novel construction above described, the outer sheath of rubber-like material is securely bonded and formed so that it can effectively withstand the high centrifugal speeds of rotation over long periods of time. As previously described, it is desired that the coil spring can move circumferentially in a free and unobstructed manner so that proper expanding reaction to the centrifugal forces will result. This is accom plished by bonding the sheath of rubber-like mater al to the outer surface of the fabric-like material. The fabric-like material is effective to prevent portions of the sheath of rubber from being pressed inwardly in between the coils of diminished if the the coils. By utilizing a covering over the spring m the manner shown, this possible action of the rubber-like sheath is prevented. During centrifugal movement of the valve ring the coils of the spring are free to move circumferentially in a desired manner and thus complete freedom of action of the spring is assured.

It must be understood that modifications and changes may be made Which do not depart from the spirit of the invention as disclosed nor the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A centrifugally rotatable valve structure comprising an annular sealing element adapted to be positioned inwardly from and adjacent to a discharge opening, said sealing element including an annular spring, a covering substantially enclosing said spring, said covering having a substantially free inner surface, and an annular sheath of rubber-like material enclosing said covering, said spring and said sheath being expansible under the action of centrifugal force to engage and seal said discharge opening, said spring being circumferentially movable with respect to the inner surface of said covering.

2. A centrifugally rotatable valve structure comprising an annular sealing element adapted to be positioned inwardly from and adjacent to a discharge opening, said sealing element including an annular spring, and a sheath of rubber-like material coextensive with and covering said spring, the inner surface of said sheath adjacent to said spring being substantially free and uninterrupted, the outer periphery of said sheath providing a sealing surface, said sealing element being expansible under the action of centrifugal force to expand radially outwardly whereby the sealing surface of said sheath engages and seals the discharge opening, the spring being expansible and free to move circumferentially with respect to said sheath.

3. A centrifugally rotatable valve structure comprising an annular sealing element adapted to be positioned inwardly from and adjacent to I a discharge opening, said sealing element including an annular spring, a sheath of rubber-like material coextensive with and covering said spring, the inner surface of said sheath adjacent to said spring being substantially free and uninterrupted, the outer periphery of said sheath providing a sealing surface, and means for rotating said valve structure, said sealing element being expansible under the action of centrifugal force to expand radially outwardly whereby the sealing surface of said sheath engages and seals the discharge opening, the spring being expansible and free to move circumferentially with respect to said sheath.

4. A centrifugally operable valve structure comprising an annular expansible sealing element adapted to be positioned adjacent to a discharge opening, said sealing element including an annular spring, a relatively thin layer of a fabric-like material spirally wound around and completely enclosing said spring, said fabric-like material having a substantially smooth inner surface adjacent the spring and a relatively rough outer surface, and an annular layer of rubber-like material completely enclosing and covering the fabric-like layer and the spring,

Number said layer of rubber-like material being securely bonded to the rough outer surface of said fabric layer whereby said spring and said layer of rubber-like material are constructed and arranged to expand radially outwardly under the action of centrifugal force during rotation and to engage and seal the discharge opening, whereby the spring is free to slide circumferentially with respect to the inner smooth surface of the fabric layer.

5. A centrifugally expansible valve structure comprising an annular expansible sealing element adapted to be positioned adjacent to and inwardly from a discharge opening, said sealing element including an annular spring, a covering enclosing said spring throughout the length thereof, said covering having a substantially smooth inner surface adjacent the spring and a substantially rough outer peripheral surface, an annular rubber sheath enclosing said covering and said spring, said sheath being securely bonded to the rough outer peripheral surface of said covering, and means for rotating said expansible sealing element, said sheath being constructed and arranged to expand in response to centrifugal force during rotation whereby the sealing element engages and seals the discharge opening, said spring being free to move circumferentially with respect to the smooth inner surface of the covering.

OTTO E. HINTZ, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Newberg et a1. Oct. 28, 1890 Naylor, Jr. Nov. 20, 1894 Grifiin et a1 June 5, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany May 11, 1933 Great Britain, 1912 Nov. 11, 1912 Number v Disclaimer 2,477,983.0tt0 E. Hinta, J12, Chicago, Ill. SPEED CONTROLLED CENTRIFUGAL VALVE. Patent dated Aug. 2, 1949. Disclaimer filed Apr. 27, 1951, by the assignee, International H mwester Oompany. v

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, and 3, of said patent.

[Ofiicz'al Gazette J zme 5,1951] 

